Lesson Title:How does evolution contribute to our society? State Standards: LS2 (9-11) -5
Students will evaluate potential bias from a variety of media sources in how information is interpreted by…
5a analyzing claims from evidence and sources and evaluate based upon relevance, and validity. Context of Lesson:This concluding lesson allows students to bridge the gap between in-class material and real world issues/events in areas such as health & medicine, agriculture, diversity and the environment. Students will actually be able to make connections and apply the concepts they have learned throughout the unit to answer questions such as:
How does evolution contribute to our society?
Is evolution occurring all around us at this very moment?
During this lesson, students will have the opportunity to learn how evolution has an impact on the following global issues:
·Agriculture & Natural Resources ·Health & Medicine ·Environment and Conservation ·Biotechnology
Using resources that will be provided at the beginning of class (limited to 1 page each) students will be expected to read through the article or source of information, highlight the relevancy of each topic and fill out a their section of a graphic organizer (based on topic) which will provide answers to the questions posed above.Next, students will form groups based on what topic they were randomly assigned. The groups will have an open discussion regarding the topic. Once students get the opportunity to share ideas and draw conclusions (15 minutes), they will be expected to take the last half of class to create 1-3 pages of a book with illustrations for seventh graders that tells a story as to “Why Evolution Rocks!”
Opportunities to Learn:
Depth of Knowledge: ·Webb Level 2:Organize information and summarize the key points from various sources ·Webb Level 3:Draw conclusions as to whether evolution is occurring today research ·Webb Level 4:Making connections between concepts learned in class and the real world Prerequisite Knowledge: ·Concepts in genetics including heredity ·The difference betweennatural selection and artificial selection ·An understanding how mutations cause variation Plans for Differentiating Instruction: ·Students will choose the topic they want to research to help promote student buy-in for activity ·Encourage the groups to choose a team leader and assign roles for everyone in the group ·Encourage students to organize the facts so that a seventh grade audience could grasp the key ideas ·This lesson will allow students to use different skill sets (i.e. creativity) that are less common in a biology classroom ·This lesson can be broken up into two 45-minute classes should the schedule demand it
Accommodations and modifications: ·Any students with IEPs will receive accommodations or modified instruction based on their plan ·For students who have a reading and language disability- assign the student “easy-read” material ·Students will work in groups which will provide the opportunity for peer-tutoring if needed ·The global issue resource material will be supplied on strips that only provide chunks of information so students do not feel overwhelmed.In groups, students will be able to cohesively analyze the information and discuss it before working on the storybook Environmental factors: ·Tables will be pre-arranged in clusters allowing a maximum of 5 students to work together when exploring a topic ·The Smart Board will be available if students would like to use it ·There are 2 stationary desktops available in each classroom should there be any laptop difficulties ·Whole class introduction to the activity & instructions ·Group work will be performed at their stations/tables ·No hazardous substances will be used or safety precautions are necessary Materials: ·Global issue information strips (smaller chunks of information for each category) ·“How does evolution contribute to our society” graphic organizer ·Smart board & markers ·Evolution and Society Power point slides ·Oversized construction paper ·Markers/Pencils/Crayons ·Stapler
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: ·List and describe four areas in society that evolution has impacted (Artifact: Graphic organizer) ·Analyze sources of information and determine if the information is relevant to today’s lesson ·Make connections between components of evolution and global issues in our society ·Apply concepts of evolution to current global issues (Artifact: Story book)
Instruction: Opening:(10 minutes) ·Greet students at the door and tell them that there is a journal assignment for today ·The instructions for the journal entry will already be posted on the board ·Today’s entry: 1.Make a list of global issues that are science-related that impact our society (i.e. global warming). 2.Make a connection between a global issue and the theory of evolution ·During this period, I will collect the editorial assignment and take role ·After 5 minutes, I will ask for volunteers to share out as I list the issues on the blackboard ·If the issues (Hunger/agriculture, health/medicine, environment or biotechnology)-I will add to their list ·I will ask for volunteers to share their responses for item 2 ·Walk back to the board and start circling the four major global issues ·“Given that these issues have a huge impact on our own lives now and in the future,you need to understand exactly how evolution plays a role in these global issues/events” ·Go over the class agenda to show students where we are heading (posted already on the blackboard)
Engagement: (65 minutes) ·Ask students to go to the front of the room and gather 1-3 pieces of over-sized of white oversized construction paper, markers in addition to any other material that is available ·Pass out the global issue strips of information randomly to each student in addition to a graphic organizer ·Provide clear, verbal directions for the assignment(listed on the board as well) oFind other members of your group and pick a work station oRead the information strip regarding your article oGo around the table to discuss with group members what each piece of information says oRecommend that everyone writes the information down using the graphic organizer oNext choose a team leader-the team leader will be responsible for organizing roles for members oRecommendation for role: 2 members work on the actual story & 2 members work on illustrations oReminder that this story is for a 7th grade audience who is learning just the basics of evolution oLimit the amount of text but get the point accross oMake sure that the story includes the following components: §Introduction to Global Issue §The role that evolution plays in your story §A specific example that show cases the story (product, solution, scenario) §A speculation as to whether evolution is still happening ·Model what I would like students to do using a volunteer and a sample book that I had previously constructed ·Explain to students that time is limited so I would advise assigning roles within the groups so that everyone has a task to work on and it ensures that you will finish on time ·Explain that I am going to set the kitchen timer not to intimidate anyone but to keep track of time so we have 15 minutes left to read the storybook and talk about the exam ·I will announce how much time is remaining every 20 minutes ·While students are researching and creating their book, circulate the room to offer assistance
Closure: (15 minute) ·Praise students for doing an awesome job creating the book ·Encourage students to fill in the rest of the graphic organizer-this will replace the notes from this lesson ·Read the story book a loud walking around the room so that each table of students can see the pictures ·When I am finished-Praise them once again and tell them that you will keep it on display if anyone wants to look at it further ·Ask if there are any questions before moving on ·“Let’s get down to business before the bell rings- take out your note books” ·Remind students that the unit test is scheduled for the next time we meet. ·The exam will be a mix of multiple choice and short answer responses derived from the class notes, class activities and your chapter notes ·“For homework, I want you to do just one small task that you will absolutely need to have ready for the next class period when you first walk in.” ·“When you are studying for this exam, I want you to take out a clean piece of paper from your notebook, write your name on it, and create three multiple choice test questions that you think I will ask you based on your exam.Make sure you know the correct answers but do not write it down on the same piece of paper.” ·The instructions will be written on the board as well as on the wikispace ·“Get some rest, steady hard, review all hands outs and notes from class, create your 3 test questions…we will have a review session when you come in and then take the exam” Assessment: ·Formative Assessment: Journal entry responses and answers during share-out ·Graphic Organizer ·Storybook pages (weight= 1 class activity)
Reflections Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency: Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient: Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Title: How does evolution contribute to our society?
State Standards:
LS2 (9-11) -5
Students will evaluate potential bias from a variety of media sources in how information is interpreted by…
5a analyzing claims from evidence and sources and evaluate based upon relevance, and validity.
Context of Lesson: This concluding lesson allows students to bridge the gap between in-class material and real world issues/events in areas such as health & medicine, agriculture, diversity and the environment. Students will actually be able to make connections and apply the concepts they have learned throughout the unit to answer questions such as:
How does evolution contribute to our society?
Is evolution occurring all around us at this very moment?
During this lesson, students will have the opportunity to learn how evolution has an impact on the following global issues:
· Agriculture & Natural Resources
· Health & Medicine
· Environment and Conservation
· Biotechnology
Using resources that will be provided at the beginning of class (limited to 1 page each) students will be expected to read through the article or source of information, highlight the relevancy of each topic and fill out a their section of a graphic organizer (based on topic) which will provide answers to the questions posed above. Next, students will form groups based on what topic they were randomly assigned. The groups will have an open discussion regarding the topic. Once students get the opportunity to share ideas and draw conclusions (15 minutes), they will be expected to take the last half of class to create 1-3 pages of a book with illustrations for seventh graders that tells a story as to “Why Evolution Rocks!”
Opportunities to Learn:
Depth of Knowledge:
· Webb Level 2: Organize information and summarize the key points from various sources
· Webb Level 3: Draw conclusions as to whether evolution is occurring today research
· Webb Level 4: Making connections between concepts learned in class and the real world
Prerequisite Knowledge:
· Concepts in genetics including heredity
· The difference between natural selection and artificial selection
· An understanding how mutations cause variation
Plans for Differentiating Instruction:
· Students will choose the topic they want to research to help promote student buy-in for activity
· Encourage the groups to choose a team leader and assign roles for everyone in the group
· Encourage students to organize the facts so that a seventh grade audience could grasp the key ideas
· This lesson will allow students to use different skill sets (i.e. creativity) that are less common in a biology classroom
· This lesson can be broken up into two 45-minute classes should the schedule demand it
Accommodations and modifications:
· Any students with IEPs will receive accommodations or modified instruction based on their plan
· For students who have a reading and language disability- assign the student “easy-read” material
· Students will work in groups which will provide the opportunity for peer-tutoring if needed
· The global issue resource material will be supplied on strips that only provide chunks of information so students do not feel overwhelmed. In groups, students will be able to cohesively analyze the information and discuss it before working on the storybook
Environmental factors:
· Tables will be pre-arranged in clusters allowing a maximum of 5 students to work together when exploring a topic
· The Smart Board will be available if students would like to use it
· There are 2 stationary desktops available in each classroom should there be any laptop difficulties
· Whole class introduction to the activity & instructions
· Group work will be performed at their stations/tables
· No hazardous substances will be used or safety precautions are necessary
Materials:
· Global issue information strips (smaller chunks of information for each category)
· “How does evolution contribute to our society” graphic organizer
· Smart board & markers
· Evolution and Society Power point slides
· Oversized construction paper
· Markers/Pencils/Crayons
· Stapler
Objectives: At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
· List and describe four areas in society that evolution has impacted (Artifact: Graphic organizer)
· Analyze sources of information and determine if the information is relevant to today’s lesson
· Make connections between components of evolution and global issues in our society
· Apply concepts of evolution to current global issues (Artifact: Story book)
Instruction:
Opening: (10 minutes)
· Greet students at the door and tell them that there is a journal assignment for today
· The instructions for the journal entry will already be posted on the board
· Today’s entry:
1. Make a list of global issues that are science-related that impact our society (i.e. global warming).
2. Make a connection between a global issue and the theory of evolution
· During this period, I will collect the editorial assignment and take role
· After 5 minutes, I will ask for volunteers to share out as I list the issues on the blackboard
· If the issues (Hunger/agriculture, health/medicine, environment or biotechnology)-I will add to their list
· I will ask for volunteers to share their responses for item 2
· Walk back to the board and start circling the four major global issues
· “Given that these issues have a huge impact on our own lives now and in the future, you need to understand exactly how evolution plays a role in these global issues/events”
· Go over the class agenda to show students where we are heading (posted already on the blackboard)
Engagement: (65 minutes)
· Ask students to go to the front of the room and gather 1-3 pieces of over-sized of white oversized construction paper, markers in addition to any other material that is available
· Pass out the global issue strips of information randomly to each student in addition to a graphic organizer
· Provide clear, verbal directions for the assignment(listed on the board as well)
o Find other members of your group and pick a work station
o Read the information strip regarding your article
o Go around the table to discuss with group members what each piece of information says
o Recommend that everyone writes the information down using the graphic organizer
o Next choose a team leader-the team leader will be responsible for organizing roles for members
o Recommendation for role: 2 members work on the actual story & 2 members work on illustrations
o Reminder that this story is for a 7th grade audience who is learning just the basics of evolution
o Limit the amount of text but get the point accross
o Make sure that the story includes the following components:
§ Introduction to Global Issue
§ The role that evolution plays in your story
§ A specific example that show cases the story (product, solution, scenario)
§ A speculation as to whether evolution is still happening
· Model what I would like students to do using a volunteer and a sample book that I had previously constructed
· Explain to students that time is limited so I would advise assigning roles within the groups so that everyone has a task to work on and it ensures that you will finish on time
· Explain that I am going to set the kitchen timer not to intimidate anyone but to keep track of time so we have 15 minutes left to read the storybook and talk about the exam
· I will announce how much time is remaining every 20 minutes
· While students are researching and creating their book, circulate the room to offer assistance
Closure: (15 minute)
· Praise students for doing an awesome job creating the book
· Encourage students to fill in the rest of the graphic organizer-this will replace the notes from this lesson
· Read the story book a loud walking around the room so that each table of students can see the pictures
· When I am finished-Praise them once again and tell them that you will keep it on display if anyone wants to look at it further
· Ask if there are any questions before moving on
· “Let’s get down to business before the bell rings- take out your note books”
· Remind students that the unit test is scheduled for the next time we meet.
· The exam will be a mix of multiple choice and short answer responses derived from the class notes, class activities and your chapter notes
· “For homework, I want you to do just one small task that you will absolutely need to have ready for the next class period when you first walk in.”
· “When you are studying for this exam, I want you to take out a clean piece of paper from your notebook, write your name on it, and create three multiple choice test questions that you think I will ask you based on your exam. Make sure you know the correct answers but do not write it down on the same piece of paper.”
· The instructions will be written on the board as well as on the wikispace
· “Get some rest, steady hard, review all hands outs and notes from class, create your 3 test questions…we will have a review session when you come in and then take the exam”
Assessment:
· Formative Assessment: Journal entry responses and answers during share-out
· Graphic Organizer
· Storybook pages (weight= 1 class activity)
Reflections
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
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